Second LYNX Blue Line contract awarded to Balfour Beatty

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. (BBII), was chosen by the city of Charlotte to build the track and systems components of the new Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) LYNX Blue Line Extension, as well as the Blue Line Capacity Expansion Project.

The Blue Line will extend Charlotte's LYNX light-rail system 9.3-miles northeast from Ninth Street in Center City through the North Davidson and University areas, terminating on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus. The project will reduce overall congestion on I-85 by offering service to 11 new stations planned along the extension. BBII will be responsible for the construction of the ballasted track, traction power system, overhead catenary system, train control, communications and other systems along the alignment. BBII's Traction Power Group, which is headquartered in Goldsboro, N.C., will be responsible for providing 11 traction power substations.

As part of the capacity expansion project, BBII will aid in the city's effort to upgrade the capacity of the Blue Line to meet current and future ridership demand by adding longer, more frequent trains. BBII will be responsible for lengthening existing light-rail station platforms and adding additional power supply stations to accommodate the improved service.

The $131-million contract will be executed in concert with BBII's Southeast Region, which was recently awarded the Blue Line Extension's Civil Package, Segment A in January, with a final price of $105.7 million. The Southeast Region and Transit Division will collaborate and share construction resources throughout the project to reduce overhead, hasten the overall project schedule and provide a superior transit system extension for the benefit of the Charlotte community.

"This is an important win for our company," said BBII President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Bond. "BBII has enjoyed working with the city of Charlotte to improve its transit system through the Streetcar Starter project while extending our rail engineering and construction services into the Southeast market. We look forward to continuing this relationship for the successful delivery of the Blue Line light-rail extension in 2016."